No nails, no lumber : the bubble houses of Wallace Neff

Imagine a house constructed in less than forty-eight hours, without using lumber or nails, that is more resistant to fire, earthquakes, and hurricanes than any traditionally built structure. This may sound like the latest development in prefab housing or green architecture, but the design dates back to 1941 when architect Wallace Neff (1895 1982) developed Airform construction as a solution to the global housing crisis. Best known for his elegant Spanish Colonial revival estates in Southern California, Neff had a private passion for his dome-shaped bubble houses made of reinforced concrete cast in position over an inflatable balloon. No Nails, No Lumber shows the beauty and versatility of Neff 's design in new and vintage photography, previously unpublished illustrations, and archival material and ephemera. "Imagine a house constructed in less than forty-eight hours, without using lumber or nails, that is more resistant to fire, earthquakes, and hurricanes than any traditionally built structure. This may sound like the latest development in prefab housing or green architecture, but the design dates back to 1941 when architect Wallace Neff developed Airform construction as a solution to the global housing crisis. Best known for his elegant Spanish Colonial-revival estates in Southern California, Neff had a private passion for his dome-shaped 'bubble houses' made of reinforced concrete cast in position over an inflated balloon. Built all over the world, from Brazil to Pakistan, the cost-effective and speedy-yet-sturdy construction method offered shelter to thousands during the 1940s and '50s."--Back cover Foreword, Steve Roden 9 Introduction 14 The Bubble Houses (USA) 33 Falls Church, Virginia 35 Litchfield Park, Arizona 43 Loyola University, California 53 Pacific Linen Supply Co., California 55 Andrew Neff House, California 61 South Pasadena, California 69 Hobe Sound, Florida 73 Airforms Around the World 85 Latin America 87 Europe 105 Africa 115 Asia 123 Appendix A: Interview: Former Bubble House Residents 128 Appendix B: Patents of Wallace Neff 138 Appendix C: Selected Unbuilt Airform Projects, 1944-58 147 Afterword 159 Acknowledgments 161 Notes 163 Selected Bibliography 166 Image Credits 169 Introduction The bubble houses. United States Falls Church, Virginia Litchfield Park, Arizona Loyola University, 1944 Pacific Linen Supply Co. Pasadena, California South Pasadena, California Hobe Sound, Florida Airforms around the world. Latin America The Caribbean Europe Africa Asia Conclusion Appendix A. Interview : The Carmody sisters Appendix B. The patents of Wallace Neff Appendix C. Deflated airform plans [timeline].